Salt of the Earth
by Mike Phantom
Summary: The Crystal Gems have protected the Earth for millennia from any danger. Even their own kind. But will they have the strength to defeat their oldest foe, one they have already forgotten about? First fic in a while. Rated T for slight swearing. R&R. Thanks.
1. Calm Before the Storm

**Hello everyone. This is my first fanfic in a while. (More like 8 years, actually.) But don't let that stop you from being honest with me. Your opinions are greatly appreciated. Enjoy!**

The temple was even more quiet than usual. The wind could be indirectly heard through its many influences on both the natural and artificial denizens in the immediate surroundings: the waves crashing on the sand, the chimes tingling at different tones and the curtains flapping in long winding sways. It seemed that nature and man had come together to create a sound more soothing than the sum of their parts. Everything was at peace.

At least for a while...

*CRASH*

"Amethyst, what did I tell you about playing ball in the house!?" Pearl was desperately trying to restore order after a chaotic afternoon. She had just finished arranging all the furniture and decorations by size, colour and shape. Even those with irregular shapes eventually found their place. She was proud of her hard work. Seconds after closing her eyes to meditate, she had heard the thing that annoyed her the most: the sound of something breaking.

"Oh come one, Pearl. You should try it sometime. Besides, we don't ever have to worry about losing the ball."

"That's because you ARE the ball!" Amethyst had morphed into a little purple golf ball. She figured that this technically wasn't "playing ball", but was more like a game of tag. She landed right the middle of the coffee table, the one surrounded by a coach embedded in the wall.

"FORE!" Steven had propped himself onto the table, ready to continue their game of indoor golf. He was even dressed for the part:blue collared shirt tucked into his khaki shorts with a Scottish tartan cap.

"WAIT!" Pearl was not ready to clean a bigger mess than the one that was just created. A vase that was once located on the kitchen counter had broken into pieces on impacting the floorboards and some of the pieces were falling between them to the beach below. It would never be restored to its original form. Steven stopped his swing at its height, his torso already turned to give the club some momentum.

"Steven, what on Earth made you think this was a good idea?" Pearl was desperately trying to figure out what was going through Steven's head.

"I'm sorry, Pearl. Amethyst said she would turn into a rubber ball. That way, the damage to the house would be minimum to none." Steve grinned with such pride, that he failed to see the shortcomings of his brilliant idea. Pearl could not help but sigh and smile at that. Even if he still had some growing up to do, Steven brought a little something to the temple that the gems lacked: a sense of normality.

Though any of them were far from being "normal", including Steven, they were slowly starting to become more...human.

Pearl regularly went to watch the plays put on by Steven and Jamie, at first only to support Steven. But she also started admiring Jamie's love for acting and passion for his hobbie/career that she found herself rooting for him too. His acting as the gems in "Beach City or Bust: The Tale of William Dewey" was not bad, especially since he had to play them all at the same time. Pearl found herself laughing when Jamie imitated Garnet perfectly and over the fact that Amethyst was played by a mop.

Pearl occasionally spoke with Mayor Dewey now as well. They weren't exactly chummy per se, yet she was starting to see him as a friend, though this was still a work-in-progress. He doesn't bother her as much as before and is a little flattered by his compliments, even if she found them tedious at times.

Amethyst got involved in Vidalia's art projects whenever her friend needed some inspiration. To repay her, Vidalia started teaching Amethyst how to express herself through her own art. Her style was...unique. And that's exactly how everyone liked it. Whenever their art was featured at the local gallery, people would comment on how the inspirations for the paintings were similar, yet perceived and conveyed in two totally different ways. Amethyst even managed to sell her first painting and gave the money to Vidalia, seeing as she herself didn't have much need for it. Vidalia spent some of it by treating Amethyst to an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Amethyst would occasionally don her alter ego, Purple Puma, in order to release some steam. It was also the perfect time to teach Steven some close-quarters combat in case he ever needed it. Tiger Millionaire had become a lot nicer since he entered the wrestling scene, but this didn't stop his partner from putting the hurt on everyone. The other gems would get involved too as "The Notorious Order of Wrestling Haters." The rivalry made for some quality entertainment and brought a much wider audience to the arena than before, which was a-ok with Mr. Smiley.

Garnet would still keep to herself most of the time, but when she was feeling bored she'd distract herself by taking walks on the beach, all the while reminding herself that Malachite was still somewhere in the deepest reaches of the vast ocean. She was more headstrong than ever when it came to finding her and Peridot in order to keep the planet safe, especially after what they found in the Kindergarten. One day, someone caught Garnet's attention. By himself, was the only person in the city who was quieter than she was: Onion.

As usual, he was sitting on the boardwalk waiting for his dad to come home. She could relate to Onion's habit: when Ruby and Sapphire were separated from each other during the Homeworld gems' invasion, every second apart felt like an eternity. Nothing made them happier than the moment they would reunite. Garnet sat next to Onion on the boardwalk, at the very least to keep him company. Not a word was exchanged between them, only the smallest of nods. They'd spend hours on end staring at the horizon until Onion's dad would come home. It was unnecessary, seeing as Garnet was never really alone, but she tried doing this as often as possible.

As the vase was discarded properly, with gloves and hand sanitizer, Garnet returned from one of her expeditions to the bottom of the ocean. She was the only one of the gems who could easily sink in water, while Pearl, Amethyst and Steven would take turns searching the surface. Though they kept up the search regularly, the ocean was a massive body of water. Even if they had the proper numbers, they might never find Malachite.

Garnet was more worried than anyone else. Her future vision had limits on its uses; she could only see possible futures brought about by choices creating forks in the timeline. Nothing was set in stone. What terrified her was that none of the roads led to Malachite. Garnet became powerless. Lapis Lazuli could only keep control of Malachite for a limited time, maybe even less now that her fusion with Jasper was an unstable one.

"Garnet! How did it go?" Steven was always the most excited one to see Garnet.

"Nothing yet. But we'll keep looking. She can't hide forever." Garnet was putting up a front at this point, but she didn't want Steven to worry. Even though he was a gem, he was also a human boy. He had his own life to live without the lingering thoughts of a madwomen running through his mind.

Pearl needed to update Garnet on her mission as well. "No progress on Peridot either. It's like the pod can't track her anymore. I don't know what's wrong. She could have found some other way to get around that doesn't involve the Warp Pads. Or she found a way to block her signal to the pod. She's a "new generation" gem after all. Her technology far surpasses our own, and she has more technical expertise than any of us."

"Yeah, and that didn't help much either." Steven was pointing to the foot the gems managed to snag from Peridot during their last encounter. It didn't offer any assistance in tracking down the rest of Peridot, so it was currently being used as a pot for a growing plant.

After Garnet had forgiven Pearl for the Sardonyx stunt she pulled, the gems were once again focussed on their enemies. Though the gems kept searching hard, the exertion eventually tired them out. Normally, gems didn't require sleep or food and only retreated to their gems whenever their physical forms were damaged. Surprisingly, Pearl found herself devouring a hotdog that was left over in the microwave one time, much to her disgust when she realised what she was doing.

One thing was definitely clear: the gems needed a new plan. Their chances of success were slim at the rate they were going. All this hopelessness made Amethyst anxious. "Let me at them! I'll find them and teach 'em not to mess with us! They'll go right on back to the Homeworld and be like 'Oh no, you don't wanna go to Earth. Those Crystal gems will mess you up, BIG TIME!'"

Garnet held up her palm to calm her down. "We've done what we can for today. What we need now is some well-deserved rest. We'll discuss what to do next in the morning."

Steven's watch suddenly beeped. "OMG, the Dogcopter marathon is starting! Quick, get the snacks and meet me in my room in no more than 5 minutes. This is what we've been practising for, people."

With that, everyone went to handle their responsibilities. Steven went to turn on the television and set it to the right channel. Garnet was in charge of popping the popcorn for 2 minutes 50 seconds, the time that allowed for the prefect popcorn. Amethyst was tasked with gathering all the pillows from the coach and moving them to Steven's room in order to create a little pillow fort. This would ensure that they'd be as comfortable as possible for the movie. Meanwhile, Pearl was busy pouring everyone's favourite drinks: fruit juice for Steven, grape soda for Amethyst, chamomile tea for Garnet and still water for herself (it was the only thing she could ingest without feeling sick).

The team had practised this drill many times before. It started with burnt popcorn, spilled milk (even though no one drinks it with popcorn) and the physical removal of the entire couch from its conjoined wall. When the movie started, they were all ready for the marathon. Steven had been looking forward to this for a while. He thought it would help the gems get their minds off all the crazy stuff that's been happening to them. He always thought of the gems as family and wanted to repay them for all their kindness.

The gems also treated Steven as one of their own, even if they were over-protective at times. Each of them saw Steven as their little ray of sunshine on the cloudiest of days. During the time Steven was too young to go out on missions with them and he was being raised by Greg, the gems would mostly keep things on a professional level. They don't even remember much from that time, other than the times when they would go visit Steven and Greg. Other than that, it was just mission after mission for the most part.

When Steven came to live at the temple, there was an unforeseen change in the atmosphere surrounding the gems' home. The gems would take turns teaching Steven how to activate his powers, but he seemed to be a late bloomer. The only focus back then was to make Steven into one of them. That's how it started anyway. Gradually, Steven became less of a student and more of a son. They were grateful for Steven and the happiness he brought into their lives.

All of them would laugh more than usual and their lives didn't seem so monotonous anymore. They'll never forget the time they taught Steven how to use the Warp Pad. He was so excited; Garnet had to tap him on the head to stop him from jumping so much. Thanks to their cooperation in raising Steven, the gems would communicate better when fighting other creatures derived from corrupted gems. They had fun while doing it too. Slowly, the team started to become a family again. This was a bigger gift than they realised, especially since the last person to do that was...gone.

The gems had gathered all their "supplies" for the grand adventure. Steven was impressed by their efficiency. "Nicely done, guys. 3 minutes 36 seconds. A new record." The intro sequence for the movie began airing and you couldn't see a spot on the screen where there wasn't an explosion. "Shh, it's starting!" The group was ready to watch "Dogcopter 4: Who Let the Dogcopters Out?"

* * *

? : It's not here either. Where the hell is it? I've been searching this planet for almost a year now. Why'd I have to get stuck with this stupid job? What's the point? It won't help us anyway. Maybe it'd be better if I we just gave up on this plan. It's too dangerous to attempt, not to mention the gems will be grow suspicious if they catch wind of our activities. Whatever, might as well call it a day. Not like I haven't tried to look.

In the background, most of the landscape had become charred and barren after the energy beam created by the wayfaring stranger desolated the once lush forest. They didn't mind though. They'd done this countless times before. What do they care what happens to Earth's inhabitants. After all, it's just another planet.


	2. Game Plan

**Hello everyone, Miguel here. (Yes, that is my real name.) Here's chapter two of "Salt of the Earth." Sorry it took so long, but university takes up most of my time. I wrote this on-and-off for the past week and a half. But who cares about that. Let the story continue!**

* * *

The next day, the Crystal Gems had to decide on what course-of-action to pursue next. They had all gathered around the kitchen counter to discuss the current situation and the best way to handle it. Steven, who had slightly overslept, quickly got dressed and went to join them.

"Sorry I'm late. Watching the latest DogCopter movie and the original trilogy can really take it out of you. I must've fallen asleep near the end. What time is it?"

Pearl answered, "It's just past 9:30 in the morning. We're glad you're here Steven. We have something we'd like to discuss with you."

"Ok? Am I in trouble?" Steven could tell from the atmosphere that the Gems were being serious with him. The only times they did that was when he did something wrong or when the world needed saving.

"Nah. Pearl already forgot about the vase. I guess we'll never know who broke it." Amethyst said this with innocence that could fool any stranger who didn't know any better. Too bad for Amethyst, Pearl knew her all too well.

"Putting these childish matters aside, we'd like to hear your opinion of our strategies to finish things with Peridot and Malachite."

"Ok. What have you guys come up with?" Steven had done a lot of growing up since his first mission with the Gems, but he never let the seriousness of the situation change who he was. He was still a child at heart, but felt that some responsibilities fell upon him, especially when Lapis Lazuli was involved. After freeing her from the mirror she was trapped in, Steven thought that Lapis could become a friend to him and eventually to the Gems. What unfolded could not have been more different that what he'd hoped.

Garnet explained her suggestion to him. "As you're aware, we've been dividing our time and energy into tracking down Malachite and Peridot, with little luck on both ordeals. I believe it's because our focus is split on finding both at the same time. If we concentrate on looking for one of them, we'll have a much clearer mindset and better chances of success."

Steven nodded as he was gathering all this information. It made sense that searching for only one target would make things much easier in the long run. Plus, it would make it easier to track down the second one afterwards. Garnet continued with her plan.

"Given that Malachite is the more dangerous of the two, we should focus our attention on her. There have been reports of earthquakes coming from all over the ocean near Beach City and I don't have to tell you what's causing them. If we can separate Lapis and Jasper into their original selves, we can try capturing both of them at once. Peridot, on the other hand, is of no immediate threat to anyone. She's been on this planet for a while now and tends to avoid areas largely populated by humans. She doesn't want to hurt anyone but us. All she wants to do is get back home."

Steven agreed that Malachite was the bigger threat, but dealing with her would be much harder than dealing with Peridot. Finding her would be the easy part, and that itself was a long shot. If by some slight chance they managed to subdue her, there was no guarantee that she would unfuse. Even with all four of them, it would be incredibly difficult to defeat her in combat if it came to that. Also, Steven knew he'd hesitate if he had to attack Malachite head on. Lapis was still in there and he hadn't given up on her yet.

"What's the other plan?"

Pearl cleared her throat. "I think we'd have a better chance of tracking down Peridot. Despite her...slyness when it comes to outsmarting us, she's completely dependent on technology. She's more of a technician than a fighter. Of our two targets, Peridot would require less time and energy. If only one of us had to face off against her, no one would be fatally harmed. I think even you'd be able to handle her, Steven."

Steven smiled at that. He was finally getting the recognition he deserved.

"At least until backup arrives." The smile disappeared instantly. Maybe someday, he thought.

"Also, there's no telling where Malachite is hiding. The ocean is just too big to search by ourselves. We might never find her. But when it comes to Peridot, I have an idea that might just work."

Pearl projected a 3D map of Earth, like a globe only more futuristic. There were several points highlighted in red scattered all over.

"Given Peridot's dependence on technology, I've narrowed down our search area to locations with old Gem temples or spaceships. It's very likely that Peridot is at one of these locations. The only down side is that we'd have to split up in order to efficiently search all these places."

Garnet stepped in. "It's too risky. Peridot has many skills and tricks we're not aware of. Remember how she turned an abandoned Gem ship into a deathtrap? There's no telling what she might pull. She is a New Generation Gem, after all."

Pearl had an answer ready. "Be that as it may, she'll try again if she's desperate. If her goal is to communicate with the Homeworld, it would be faster for her to use the technology available, even if it's thousands of years old. Say she manages to call for a rescue, or worse yet reinforcements. We'd have another invasion on our hands, and they'll be prepared this time. The problem would expand exponentially and then we'd really be in trouble."

Both Garnet and Pearl looked to Steven for support, who himself looked to Amethyst to ease the pressure on him. "Uh, what do you think we should do, Amethyst?"

Amethyst had been quiet the whole conversation and Steven wanted to hear her opinion as well. "Meh, I don't really care who's butt we have to kick, as long as _I_ get to kick it." Though Amethyst wasn't the most logical of the Gems, Steven had to admire her optimism. Sometimes, a good punch was all it took, or in this case a very, very strong kick.

Garnet managed to regain Steven's attention. "So, what do you think Steven?" It was all left to him. He would have to be the deciding vote. He knew he had to consider both strategies, with their respective advantages and shortcomings. But it wasn't all about which was the best laid plan: doing what's best for Earth came first. Steven knew that better than anyone. It was his mom, Rose Quartz, who rebelled against her own kind to protect the world he grew to love. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, Rose and her team managed to win the Battle of Earth. But both sides weren't without their casualties. Like his dad said, "There was no such thing as a good war." Rose knew that all manner of life was precious and would've made the same difficult decisions again if she had to.

Now, it was Steven's turn to do the same. This kind of pressure would be astronomical for a regular child, but Steven had gotten used to it. He had to. After all, if he couldn't do it, no one could. He was the only half-human, half-gem being in existence. The Crystal Gems have been protecting the Earth for millennia, but they weren't quite familiar with those they were protecting. Getting along with the citizens of Beach City, though, was a good start. Still, Steven thought of himself as an "ambassador" for both human- and gemkind. He would help anyone who couldn't help themselves, regardless of where they came from. It was just who he was.

After carefully considering the options for a good while, Steven had made up his mind. "Sorry Garnet, but I'm voting we go through with Pearl's plan. We'll have an easier time finding and catching Peridot compared to Malachite. It's also true that we can't risk any more bad Gems coming to harm anyone. Everyone was so scared when they had to evacuate the city, not knowing if they were ever gonna come back. I can't let them go through that again."

Garnet nodded, as if respecting Steven's choice. She had only one more question for him. "What if Malachite goes on the rampage? Can we truly believe that won't happen?"

This was a tough question to answer coming from someone who could see into the future. Steven already knew that was a possibility. If Lapis lost control of Malachite, even for a few minutes, Jasper would be ready to take over Beach City by herself if she deemed it necessary. And if she wasn't able to, Jasper wasn't the kind if gem to think twice about demolishing a human settlement.

"Lapis has held on this long. We have to trust her to hold on a little longer." Steven really wanted to save Lapis, but the citizens of Beach City and the rest of the world came first. He made a promise to himself that as soon as Peridot was dealt with, he would devote as much time into saving Lapis as possible.

It was decided that the team would focus their efforts on Peridot. Though he voted against her, Garnet couldn't help but envy Steven's serine composition. This was a lot to ask of him and he was doing great given the circumstances. Garnet didn't necessarily agree with putting their trust in Lapis, but she trusted Steven and that was enough for her.

With a little smile, Garnet bolstered the team's confidence. "Right, Gems. We have our mission: find Peridot and subdue her at all costs."

Amethyst was filled with excitement, and a little recklessness. "Woo! Yeah, let's do this! Nothing's gonna stop us now!"

"Pearl, you said you had some locations of interest?" Garnet wanted to start right away. The Crystal Gems were back at full strength and more determined than ever.

Pearl projected the map she had previously shown them. "Right. I've highlighted the locations that are the most promising, all with acceptable amounts of Old Generation tech. We can cover more ground if we split up. If we each take a location and scout it for a day, we should go through the list within a week. I've taken the liberty of assigning each of us a part of the list."

Steven couldn't help but be gleeful. "Yeah! Look out Peridot, because the Crystal Gems are coming for you." Steven had put his right arm in the middle of the group. "Crystal Gems on three."

The Gems all had puzzled look on their faces. They had no idea what Steven was doing. Was this another Earth custom? Or was this specific to Steven?

Steven realised he had to explain. "You're supposed to put your palm in the middle and then throw it in the air when I say three. It's to wish each other good luck."

The Crystal Gems all began to understand the purpose of the action."Oh. Ok. That makes sense. Yeah. I see now."

Steven started counting. "One! Two! Three!"

"Crystal Gems!"

* * *

 **Hey guys. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know Amethyst didn't get to say much this time around, but I have big plans for her later on in the story. The next chapter will have some action in it. About time, right? Anyway, R &R. Cheers!**


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